Almudena Cathedral, Madrid

It is a Catholic temple. Access is free.
One of the Spanish cathedrals completed more recently. In fact, it was consecrated in 1993 and Pope John Paul II did it. So the only Spanish temple consecrated by a Pope.

It is the place to celebrate real events: the wedding of Felipe VI with Letizia Ortiz. But also in it have been held state funerals to the ex-presidents Adolfo Suarez and Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo.

The story of this Virgin is the following. The image of the virgin was discovered in the existing wall, once abandoned by the Arabs. That's why it's called the Almudena.
Then a small church was built in the year 1085 by King Alfonso VI and it had to be destroyed many years later for urban reasons, to expand the main street.
Queen Maria de la Mercedes was very devoted to her and promoted her construction in the reign of her husband King Alonso XII, beginning its construction in 1885.

The architectural project has undergone many modifications since its initial idea, which was intended to be the most important neomedieval project in Spain. Its construction was reinvigorated with the support of socialist governments in 1984, curiously.

It was finished in 1993 and was consecrated by Pope John Paul II. There are magnificent bronze doors that sculpt and give evidence of this moment.

It has a neo-Gothic style in its façade, so as not to clash with the Royal Palace in front of it. It has a crypt that was the first thing that was built and is neo-Roman style, it is paid. The interior is neo-Gothic.

What struck me most were the ceilings. Paintings of very striking colors with symmetrical non-figurative drawings.

In the apse there are representations of scenes of the life of Christ and a Pantocrator.

In a corner of the Latin cross there is a medieval altarpiece with a carving of the Virgin of the Almudena. It is an elevated altar that can be reached by climbing some stairs. In the lower part of the tomb of Maria de las Mercedes, the first wife of Alfonso XII and who was the driving and very devoted to the Virgin who gives its name to the cathedral.

The lighting is by large stained glass windows, very bright and colored.
In a corner, in a corner that does not attract much attention, there is a relic of Pope John Paul II, a drop of blood!
After the apse there is a chapel with the bronze image of the founder of Opus Dei, Escribá de Balaguer, who was also very devoted to this Madrilenian virgin.
There is a soft ambient music of a sacred nature, very relaxing that reminds us that we are in a temple of meditation and prayer.
Difficult it is because it is integrated into the most tourist route of Madrid.

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